Method and apparatus for forming containers



Nov. 5, 1963 B. GUIGNARD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1961 SON INVENTOR UmN Nov. 5, 1963 B. GUIGNARD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONTAINERS Sheets-Sheet 2 Lu INVENTOR BORIS GUIGNARD Filed Jan. 16. 1961 Nov. 5, 1963 B. GUIGNARD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 16, 1961 'ilHil vu @N 0N -IR mm 5 wm 8 mN INVENTOR Boms GUlGNARD Nov. 5, 1963 B. GUIGNARD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 BORLS GUIGNARD Filed Jan. 16, 1961 B. GUIGNARD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONTAINERS Nov. 5, 1963 a Sheets-She et 5 Filed Jan. 16, 1961 INVENTOR R HQQ m I m BORIS GUIGNARD Nov. 5, 1963 B. GUIGNARD METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 16. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR BORIS G U IGN'ARID ORNEY United States Patent C.0.F.I.D.l. Socit Anonyme, Vaud, Switzerland, a

corporation of Switzerland Filed Jan. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 82,949 (Ilaims priority, application Switzerland 3 an. 27, 1%9 23 Claims. (CI. 18-30) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 795,504, filed February 25, 1959, and now abandoned.

Various methods have been heretofore proposed for producing containers and, chiefly, tubes of plastic material, said methods consisting in particular in extruding, trace-pressing, molding, or injecting the material into a die chamber, or, in welding separately formed juxtaposed elements.

The first method, to wit: the extruding method leads to considerable difficulties when it is desired to extrude an article having a thin wall, more especially at the input end. The method of molding through a punch and die, or through gravity, is a slow and expensive procedure. The intermittent injection of a plastic material into a mold to make a hollow article having a thin wall, has never been attained successfully on an industrial scale, and the same is the case for ordinary simple injection, although various modis operandi have been proposed, because, the force of injection requires a pressure which is too high where thin-walled articles are to be formed. This is true because it is difficult from a practical standpoint to distribute the plastic material between sections of the mold which are relatively stationary with reference to one another. It has been attempted to remove this disadvantage by providing relative mobility between the sections forming the mold used for injection, whereby, the sections of the mold move in succession in front of the supply of injecting material.

The foregoing method has not, however, produced the desired results because the plastic material does not lend itself to proper execution of such an operation, and, the thin flexible walls, constituting the skirt of a tube or of the cylindrical section of a container, do not offer a suflicient mechanical resistance by reason of their lack of homogeneity. Furthermore, the container or tube obtained in this manner adheres to the mold parts and, for removing same, it is necessary to inject air under pressiire between the core and the molded tube, which frequently leads to a deformation of the very fragile tube particularly if the pressure is not properly controlled.

My invention has primarily in view a method of production which eliminates the objections to the methods hitherto proposed and briefly summarized above. That is to say, the present method and apparatus provide for the production of containers having an end wall and a side wall of generally cylindrical shape both made of plastic material through injection of the latter in its flowable state into a transiently formed mold over and about a core moving axially during the injection of the homogeneous plastic material. In that connection the improvements are characterized by the fact that the plastic side wall forming material is helically distributed uniformly over the core. Moreover, according to the means resorted to for producing said helical distribution, the plastic material is preferably kneaded just before it is distributed helically round the core. This kneading or stirring bestows upon the plastic material, an improved uniform homogeneity which allows it to be more readily injected, and also to form very thin tough walls for a hollow article such as a container of a tube. Experiments have shown that the helical distribution of plastic material for the formation of a thin cylindrical wall produces a distribution of the molecules of plastic material such that the mechanical resistance of said thin wall is considerably increased.

In addition, it may be emphasized that after this injection of the thin wall of a hollow article such as a container or a tube, the rapid withdrawal of the core may be effected so that said article drops free by gravity from the coreover which it has been formed, thereby avoiding risk of deformation.

My invention has for a further object a novel apparatus'for executing the above-described method, said apparatus being of the type including a mold constituted by a die and a punch, the body of which forms a core over and about which is formed the wall of the hollow article or container to be molded. This punch is shiftable within a sleeve, whose end in cooperation with the punch forms a nozzle through which the injection of plastic material is formed under pressure, as the core is axially shifted. Moreover the present apparatus includes an annular distributor of plastic material, carried by a tube surrounding the punch, while a driving mechanism imparts a relative angular movement to the distributor with reference to the punch, around the common geometrical axis of isaid parts, during the formation stage of the container wa l.

I have illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, given by way of exemplification, an embodiment of the apparatus for the execution of my improvide method.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an overall schematic view of the entire apparatus.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detail cross sectional view of that portion of FIGURE 1 which includes the plastic feeding means, the means for kneading and distributing the plastic material and the tubular elements which control the gate to the plastic extrusion procedure relative to the movable die which cooperates to form the end wall of a tubular plastic article, all of said parts being in the relative position about to start the preliminary extrusion phase, that is at a point where all of the plastic material being still held or trapped in the kneading chamber.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of that part of FIGURE 2 forming the die chamber and the gate for controlling the supply of plastic to the chamber.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view showingsomewhat more of the parts of FIG. 2 with their positions changed to show the accomplishment of the first phase of injection of plastic material into the mold to form the end wall of the container.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the parts of FIGURE 3 wherein the so-called punch has made an additional forward movement of several millimeters relative to the die, whereby a pontion of the heated plastic material injected into the mold cavity is compressed and forced back into the kneading chamber which causes a slight recoil of the injection piston. Since FIGS. 3 and 4 are vertically aligned this relatively min ute differential movement will be apparent by applying a straight-edge.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view showing that portion of the extrusion phase wherein the skirt for the wall portion of the tube is beginning to be continuously formed by displacement of the punch out of its fixed housing simultaneously with the movement of its end wall towards the left to follow the die.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the phase following the complete extrusion phase, namely, the phase wherein the skirt or side wall is cut or terminated opposite its now pro-formed closed end to define the length of the tube.

FIGURE 7 is a further diagrammatic view Illustrating the phase wherein the punch is performing its initial withdrawal from the formed article, this phase taking place simultaneously with the sending of mildly compressed cool air into the tube.

FIGURE 8 is another diagrammatic view illustrating the phase of removing the finished tube, the punch being fully withdrawn from the article, and the die having been rotated to release the threaded neck of the finished tubular container.

FIGURE 9- is a detail cross-sectional view of the first form of kneading head taken on the line 9--9 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 10 is a detail side elevation of the kneading head of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 10 is a detail side view illustrating a modification of the kneading head when the fins for kneading the plastic material are helical.

FIGURE 11 is a detail sectional view illustrating modification of the apparatus for producing flasks with a closed end wall.

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE 11 illustrating the termination of the extraction stroke which enables the finished anticle to be removed from the apparatus.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Reference will first be made to FIGS. 1 and 2, more especially to the latter to obtain a preliminary understanding of the structural features constituting the mold of the apparatus.

FIG. 1 illustrates the relatively fixed extrusion assembly A and the relatively movable diehead assembly B. FIG. 2 illustrates on an enlarged scale the major parts of these two primary elements of the apparatus. For all practical purposes the extrusion assembly is relatively fixed, although some of its parts reciprocate and rotate dining the operating cycle, while the die assembly moves bodily back and forth. Together these assemblies form the die cavity C which communicates with a feed opening at the end of the extrusion assembly that faces the die assembly B.

The extrusion assembly includes stationary frame parts F, F F and F fixedly supporting a main stationary body 1 having a bore 2 extending therethrough and which continues into a sleeve 3 rigid therewith and extending from one end thereof.

The aforesaid bore 2 houses apl-urality of coaxially tubular elements, one of which is a plastic extruding piston P, each having timed sequences of operation in the direction of their axes, also at least one having angular movement as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Further the body 1 is provided with a hopper 4 which receives the raw plastic material generally in the form of granules as indicated at G.

As will be also seen from FIG. 2, a' feed passage 5 disposed radial to the bore, connects the hopper with an annular kneading chamber 6 between the bore and the outer surface of a lesser diameter axially, and angularly, movable plastic material conditioning tube 7, the said piston P operating in the chamber 6 defined by bore 2 and outer surface of said tube 7, to extrude slug plastic material into the aforesaid die cavity C and around the outer face of a reciprocal core as will presently be seen.

The tube 7 has an annular nozzle 8 at one end terminating in a conical material cutoif and release face 9. Inwardly of this face the tube '7 is provided with an annular series of spaced vanes 10 which form a fluted kneading head K operating in the chamber 6. These vanes may be in parallel spaced relation as shown in FIGS. llO, but may also be formed in a helical manner as shown at K in FIG. 10*, and form the aforesaid in the finished article.

Thus, since the tube 7 is rotatable about its axis, it will be seen that its surface in cooperation with the facing surface of the bore 2 provides a mixing chamber wherein the plastic material is subjected to a shearing action augmented by kneading head K to continuously homogenize the fiowable plastic material which is kept in a fiowable state by the heater H in the form of an insulated coil disposed about the sleeve 3.

A combined punch and core member, including a transverse wall 11 and an elongated tubular barrel-like core 12 is coaxially mounted within the conditioning. tube 7 for slidable movement relative thereto. The transverse end Wall 11 has a conical surface 13 of the same pitch as the conical face 9 of the nozzle 8 of the conditioning tube 7. This face 9 is intended to fiushly contact the matching or first conical surface 14 as it is hereinafter refer-red to, of an annular draw plate 15 fitted to the outer end of sleeve 3.

The draw plate has an outer or second conical face 16' intended to flushly contact and receive a mating conical sealing face 17 of a reciprocating die 18 having an inner conical end wall 19 parallel with surface 13 of end wall ill of the punch and spaced therefrom to provide a die cavity C. The wall 19 has a slight depression 20 which forms a container head key when filled with plastic and to prevent rotation of the container as will later appear, Also the die 18 is provided with a rotatable mandrel 21 having an internally threaded socket 22. The socket 22 forms the externally threaded neck of the container,

and when this neck is complete, and the mandrel isrotated the end wall of the container is held stationary by the key formed in 20 so that unthreadin-g of the neck may proceed as shown in FIG. 8.

The draw plate 15 also has its converging first and second conical faces 14 and 16 intersected by a fiat wall W parallel to the axis of the ring or nozzle and located at a point between edges of nozzle face 9 and the second conical face 16. That is to say, wall W is spaced radially from the outer surface of core l1]. to define the thickness of the side wall of the container. Also, the location of this wall W insures uniform formation of the container side wall as the punch 11-12 moves through the nozzle or gate constituted by the mating surfaces 9 and :14

and wall W for controlling the supply of plastic to the die cavity C.

When faces 9 and 14 are engaged, they seal the exit of the kneading chamber 6 at the beginning of the extnusion phase, FIGS. 1 and 2; and, also, again seal oif the cham- Once the side wall of the container is fully formed as shown in FIG. 6, the gate is closed to cut off the plastic. material to determine the end of the tube, and remains:

closed as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 as the article T preparesv to drop.

The gate, in FIGS. 6-, 7, and 8, at the completion of the extrusion cycle, also remains closed as shown in FIGS. 1,,

2 and 2 in preparation for the next extrusion cycle.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 2 illustrate the heart of the invention in the respect that the structure makes possible for the.

first time, the simultaneous molding of a container end wall and an externally threaded neck having a dispensing passage in one operation, while continuing to make the integral homogenized plastic skirt or side wall as a part of the continuous article forming cycle.

The extrusion phase of the plastic material is accomplished by the tubular reciprocating piston P which surrounds, and is coaxial With the material conditioning tube 7. This piston controlled by an auxiliary power unit (FIG. 1) and later described more in detail.

Movable Die Assembly The movable rdie assembly includes the transient mold cavity C (FIGS. 1-8) constituted by the wall 19 of die '13 and complementary surfaces W and 13, respectively, of the draw plate 15 and head 11 of the combined punch and core 1-1-12.

The die head itself, 18, is carried by a hollow reciprocating block 23 (FIGS. 1, 3-8, 11, 12) through which extends the aforesaid tubular mandrel 21 having internally threaded socket 22.

Thus, since this socket forms the threaded neck of the container, in this instance, it is necessary to rotate the mandrel 21 to unthread said neck from the socket and free the container from the mold after its side wall is complete.

Accordingly, the mandrel 21 has its intermediate portion externally screw threaded as indicated at 24 to engage the tapped bore of the annular nut 25 fitted to one side wall of said movable block 23. This transverse block is mounted on cross arm 23 having tubular guides 23 at opposite ends thereof, said guides slidably supported on fixed guide rods 23 constituting a part of the frame F, F.

On the lefthand end of the mandrel 21 (FIGS. 1-8) is a gear wheel 26 provided with a peripheral series of teeth meshing with a worm 27 adapted to be rotatably driven through any suitable auxiliary power unit, such as an electric motor or the like.

The mandrel 21 has an axial bore which receives a rod 29, the end 39 of which passes through the socket 22 and engages a recess 31 in the end Wall 11 of the combined punch and core 11-12. This recess communicates with an air passage 32 in the core stem .12 leading to a source of low pressure air to facilitate the withdrawal. of

1-12 from the side wall of the finished tube T to avoid a vacuum which would tend to collapse the tube.

The purpose of end 3%? passing through socket 22 is to provide a passageway or bore, open at both ends, in the externally threaded dispensing neck of the container for the discharge of its contents. The end of 3% also seals passage 32 so that no air enters the side wall or skirt of the container until the proper time.

The rod 29 carries at its opposite end a piston 33 slidably mounted inside a cylinder 34 having conduits 35, 36 and 37 which may all-three be fed with fluid under pressure. In the position represented in FIGURES 1 through 6, conduits 35 and 37 are under pressure, conduit 35 being an outlet. In the position shown in FIG- URE 7, conduit 36 is under pressure, while conduit 35 is an outlet. As to conduit 37, it may either be closed to maintain a certain volume of fluid in cylinder 64, or be kept under pressure so that the piston may be maintained in intermediate position.

In the position shown in FIGURE 8, conduits 35 and 36 are under pressure, while conduit 37 is made the outlet.

When fluid is supplied through pipe 37, the piston 33 is driven forward to the position shown in FIGS. 1-4 to reset the rod 29 into recess 31.

A chamber 33 is provided inside the head 18 between the latter and the mandrel 21, said chamber communicating with the outside through the pipes 39 and 4a, so as to allow the introduction of cooling water into chamber 38 to keep the head 18 at the proper temperature.

The reciprocating die head support block 23 is connected with a piston 42' carrying a flange 42 operating in a cylinder 43havin'g fluid connections 44 and 45. It will thus be understood that hollow block 23 supporting die head 18 can reciprocate back and forth as shown in FIGS. 5-8 inclusive to correspond with the axial movement of the combined punch and core ib-12 as the side wall or skirt of the article T is formed.

The actuating and cycling elements of the operation as a whole will now be described.

Means for Controlling Plastic Extruding Piston The piston P which surrounds the material conditioning tube 7 operating in the kneading chamber 6 is provided With an external flange 47 '(FIG. 1) operating in a cylinder 48 having fluid connections 49 and 50. As fluid pressure is applied through 49 to one side of the flange 47, the leading edge of the piston pushes an increment of angular material from the port 5 into the kneading chamber 6 toward the kneading head K, in the presence of heat.

- In FIG. 1, the flange '47 is shown at the extreme righthand end of chamber 48 as when the leading edge of the piston is fully retracted and the piston is ready to start the extrusion stroke to move the plastic material between the faces 9 and 14 of the gate as shown for example in FIGURES 3 and 4.

The fluid passages 49, 50, which together with the flange 47 control the sliding movement of the piston P are included in a fluid circuit having suitably controlled timing means for actuating the piston When the apparatus is operating to produce the tubular articles. In other Words, it will be understood that the back-and-forth strokes of the piston P are synchronously controlled with respect to other movements of the apparatus which will be described more in detail under the General Operation.

Means for Operating Plastic Material Conditioning Tube The plastic conditioning tube 7 having the vanes 10, forming the kneading head has both rotary movement and a relatively small reciprocating movement in the bore 2. I Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that said tube 7 has its rear end portion exposed to receive a gear 51 driven by a gear 52which in turn is driven by a motor 53 in order to impart the necessary angular or rotary movement to the kneading heads K (or K).

At this point it may be noted that the teeth of gear 51 are of less width than the related teeth of gear 52 so that although the motor 53 is supported in a fixed position, the gear 51 Will never disengage with said driving gear 52 as the tube 7 reciprocates to open and close the extrusion gate.

For the purpose of imparting the aforesaid axial forward or backward longitudinal movement to the tube 7 to control the outlet gate relative to the draw plate, the external surface of the tube is provided with an annular flange 54 which operates in a fluid chamber 55. This chamber 55 has a fluid connection 56 at one side of the flange 54 and a fluid connection 57 at the other side of said flange. 'Fl-uid pressure on the righthand side of the flange moves the tube 7 to gate closing position, and pressure on the other side opens the gate.

As will be observed from FIG. 1, the rear end portion of core 12 of the combined punch and core 11, projects beyond the location of the rotary driving elements 51, 52 and 53, and is secured in the yoke 60 of reciprocating head 61 having sleeve portions 62 slidably mounted on the parallel guide rods 63 fixed in the frame parts F and F It will also be observed that the guide rods 23 supported in frame parts F and F, and the guide rods 63 rigidly supported in the frame parts F F are actually integral and therefore in axial alignment.

Further, the cross-head 61 is actuated by a piston 64 operating in a cylinder 65 carried by the frame part F of the apparatus. The head of piston 64 is connected to the yoke 60, and the flange 64 of piston 64, which is of larger diameter than flange 42 of piston 42, is subject to fluid pressure on opposite sides thereof as it operates in the cylinder 65. The cylinder 65 has fluid connections 66 and 67.

The yoke 60 and cross-head 61 are connected by shafts 6868 with related pistons 69 operating in cylinders 70 carried by the cross arm 23.

From the foregoing it will now be apparent that the pistons 42 and 64 are operatively tied together so that as the block 23' supporting the die head 18 moves toward and from the draw plate 15, the combined punch and core member 11 and 12 will have a corresponding back-andforward axial movement.

Modified Construction FIGS. 11 and 12 are directed to a modified form of apparatus for making tubular containers T having a flat closed end wall.

' The extrusion assembly A is the same as that previously described, but the die head 18' constituting the end wall forming means does not require means forming a threaded neck on the end Wall. That is to say, the die assembly B simply reciprocates back and forth with the punch and core 11-12 and does not rotate.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the die head 18' is provided with a flat terminal wvall 74 adapted to engage the bore W in the draw plate 15. As to the combined punch and core 7576, its forward end 75 is also provided with a flat terminal surface 77. However, in order to allow sending compressed air between the surface 77 and the bottom of the flask, a channel 78 feeding compressed air is provided axially of the inner bore surface of core 76. The outlet end of said channel is controlled by an automatic valve 79.

The operation of this form of apparatus intended for the production of flasks is fully similar to that of the apparatus described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. In other words, mixing and kneading tube 7 for conditioning the plastic is still driven in rotation during the injection stage, so as to produce a kneading of the pasty material between said tube and the inner wall of the bore 2 of body 1. During the injecting movement, the punch and core 757 6 move together with the movable die section 18', while the container skirt is obtained gradually through a helical distribution of the plastic material round the core 76. Once the container skirt has reached the desired length, the tube 7 is shifted axially, so as to close the injecting gate or nozzle. This being done, the combined punch and core 75-76 is returned into its retracted starting position while simultaneously air is blown into the inside 59 of the molded fiask through the channel 7 8 after unseating the valve 79. The article T is released gradually with reference to the combined punch and core 75-76 and drops finally into any desired collecting receiver.

It will of course be understood that the mechanism driving the plastic material conditioning tube 7 is synchronized with the mechanism producing the axial shifting of the combined punch and core 75-76 outwardly of the sleeve 2, so as to obtain a uniform helical distribution of the plastic material round the core.

CYCLE OF OPERATION Referring first to the parts of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, namely, the position where the gate 9- 14 closes the cavity C, and the plastic material from the hopper 4 is being fed into the mixing and kneading chamber 6 through the inlet port 5, it will be understood that since the kneading and mixing tube is rotating, the plastic material will be changed from granular to homogenized fluid state by the heater H.

With the parts thus ready for operation, the first step would be to open the gate 9- 14 or feed opening to permit the piston P to move the plastic into the cavity C, as shown in FIGURE 3.

After the cavity C and internally threaded socket 22 are filled with plastic, the conical surface 13 of the head 11 of combined punch and core 1112, is advanced towards the die head 18, a small distance, such as a few millimeters to insure that the fluid plastic within the die is completely compacted to fill all the interstices within the die, and also push some of the plastic material back into the kneading chamber 6 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

This advance of the punch '11 is effected by removing or exhausting fluid from cylinders 70 through lines 7172 shown in FIGURE 1. As a result, the pistons 69' and shafts 68 move to the left, as shown in FIG. 1, and inasmuch as the other extremities of the shafts 68 are anchored in the cross-head 69, said cross-head will be caused to move with the shafts, and, in turn, the combined punch and core unit 11-42, anchored to this cross-head will be slightly advanced, and the various elements will appear as shown in FIGURE 4.

In the phase of partially compressing the plastic material in the region of the die head any excess fluid plastic is, as aforesaid, pushed back through the gate 914 to the chamber 6, thereby, avoiding the formation of an excess of material at the junction of the head and the skirt of the tube which would form a ridge or ring.

With the end wall and neck of the article T thus formed, as shown in FIGURE 4, the operation will now be explained wherein the integral skirt portion of the tube isformed. 3

Synchronized movement of core 11 and head 18 is accomplished by sending fluid under pressure into conduits 67 and 45, in such a manner as to maintain core 11 and head 18-49 near to one another. In fact, for this purpose the flange 64 has a greater diameter than flange 42 in order that their pistons provide a differential action. Rods 68 insure synchronized movement of members 1'1 and 18 by preserving the thickness of the end wall of tube T formed in the space C.

As the outer surface of the core 12 projects through the orifice of gate 9 and 14, the fluid plastic material in the form of a film predetermined by the'space between W and the outer surface of the core 12, is continuously deposited by the force of piston P around the entire perimeter of the core.

After the relative positions of the core assembly A and die assembly B have advanced from the skirt forming position of the article shown in FIG. 5, to a point where it is desired to terminate the length of the skirt or side wall of the article, the gate orifice constituted by surface 9 and 14 closes, thereby discontinuing the deposit of fluid plastic material on the outer surface of the core 12. This is I fully shown in FIGURE 6. During the entire operating cycle, cooling fluid is circulated within the space between the inner face of the core 12 and the sleeve S, the said cooling fluid being supplied through a fluid line S and exhausted through line S For the fabrication of tubes T from polyarnide, whose crystallization is very rap-id, the water circulating in core 11 is water warmed to about C. so as not to cause cooling of the core beyond 80 C. and thus prevent too rapid crystallization of the polyamide.

The next step is to retract the end 30 of the rod 29 from the (recess 31 in the end wall 11 to the position shown in FIG. 7. By moving the end 30 away from air passage 32 (FIG. 7), the latter is uncovered to establish communication with a low pressure source of air, or even the atmosphere, through line 32*, for example. This is done to prevent the formation of a vacuum in the skint of the article being formed which might otherwise tend to collapse said skirt or implode the tube. The necessity for providing a certain amount of air pressure depends upon the plastic materials utilized. During employment of polyaim-ides which contract only slightly, once tube T is formed it may be readily disengaged from the, core. On

the contrary, tubes formed from polyethylene tend to cling to the core and some air pressure is needed to re lease the tube T.

Concerning the extraction of finished tube T from the core, silicones may be vaporized in the air blown in through conduit 32 into the core. The silicones blown in simultaneously with the air cause a lubricating of the external surface of the core, which facilitates disengagement of finished tube T.

After the rod 29 has been fully retracted from the externally threaded neck of the article T, it will be understood that the end wall of the article is held against rotation because a small plastic key has been formed in the depression 20.

The mandrel 21 and its internally threaded socket is then rotated by the worm and gear 26, 27, to unthread and release the neck of the article from the mandrel so that it may be dropped into a suitable container.

The retraction of the combined punch and core 11 and 12 from the positions shown in FIGS. 6, 7, to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, is effected by reversing the application of fluid pressure to the cylinder 65 so that the piston 64 is returned to its initial starting position as shown in FIG. 1. This will completely retract the core punch assembly to its position shown in FIG. 8. During this operation, the fluid pressure is maintained against piston 42 so that the article T will be free for ready removal.

It will of course be understood that the foregoing cycle of operation repeatedly occur as long as the apparatus is in operation.

-I claim:

1. A method of molding a plastic container including an end wall and an integral side wall in a transient mold chamber defined by a container end wall forming die and an extrusion assembly including a reciprocating combined punch and core cooperating with said die to provide an outlet gate, which consists in introducing granular plastic material into a heated annular ring-like chamber formed about the said core, subjecting the heated and fiowable material in said chamber to helical agitation while extruding the same through the outlet gate, moving said container wall-forming die away from the outlet gate and simultaneously distributing the plastic material over and about said core as it moves out of said gate to form an elongated homogeneous side wall, closing the outlet gate to terminate the length of the side wall formed on the core while the latter continues to move away from the extrusion assembly, withdrawing the core into the extrusion assembly and away from the wall-forming die and through the gate to release the completed side wall and provide finished container escape clearance between the die and the outlet gate, and returning the container wall forming die toward the extrusion assembly.

2. A method of molding a plastic container which consists in introducing granular plastic material into a heated annular ring-like chamber formed about a core, subjecting the heated and flowable material in said chamher to helical agitation forcing the flowable plastic material in two-stages through an outlet gate, the first stage to compact the material in the die cavity before the latter moves away from the extrusion assembly and the second stage providing a container side wall by progressively distributing the plastic material over and about said core as it moves out of said gate, closing the outlet gate to terminate the length of the side Wall formed on the core while the latter continues to move away from the extrusion assembly, withdrawing the core into the extrusion assembly and away from the wall forming die and through the closed gate to release the completed side wall and provide finished container escape clearance between the die and the outlet gate, and returning the container-wallforming die to close the outlet gate for the start of the next cycle.

3. In an apparatus for making tubular plastic containers, a die assembly mounted for reciprocating movement in a frame and having a transient die cavity for forming the head and neck of the container, an extrusion assembly fixed in said frame and including a body having a bore, communicating with a material feeding inlet, a rotatable and axially movable material conditioning member mounted in said bore to provide a material conditioning chamber and having a partial gate surface at one end and a kneading head, means connecting said member with said die assembly for short stroke movement, a piston adapted to reciprocate in said chamber, a combined punch and core member disposed coaxially within the material conditioning member and including a wall forming part of said die cavity, said combined punch and core member slidable within the material processing member and connected with said die assembly for synchronous movement therewith, a mandrel in the die assembly having an internally threaded socket opening into the die cavity, and means for rotating said mandrel to unthread the externally threaded neck of the finished container.

4. In an apparatus for extruding plastic containers, a reciprocating die head including a conical outer face and an interior face providing one side of a container end wall forming cavity, a rotatable mandrel in the die head and having internally threaded socket opening into said chamber, an extrusion housing, comprising, a sleeve, a draw plate on the sleeve and having a first conical face, and also having a straight wall parallel to the axes of the said socket and container end wall forming cavity to determine the thickness of the container side wall and further having a second conical face intersecting said straight wall, and receiving the conical face on the die head, a rotatable and axially shiftable plastic material conditioning tube spaced from the inner side of the sleeve to provide an annular plastic kneading chamber and also having a conical face cooperating with said first conical face to form a gate alternately for establishing communication with and closing said die cavity, a tubular piston in the kneading chamber, a combined punch and core including a face providing the other side .of said container end wall forming cavity, means for reanwardly retracting the said plastic material conditioning tube to separate the conical face from the first conical face to the gate to fully open the kneading chamber to the die cavity, means for moving the piston to extrude the plastic material through the gate into said die cavity, means for first moving said combined punch and core for a portion of its forward stroke to compress the plastic in the die cavity and back into the kneading chamber, and means thereafter for moving the die head and the combined punch and core forward through the gate to form the side wall of the container about the core as the plastic material is extruded between said Wall and the exterior of the core.

5. In an apparatus for extruding plastic containers according to claim 4, wherein a rod is axially disposed in the mandrel and projects through the internally threaded socket, and the combined punch and core has an air passage communicating with a recess in the head of the punch to receive the end of the rod to form a dispensing passage in the threaded neck of the container.

6. In an apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the interior face of the reciprocating die head is provided with a key-depression for receiving plastic material to hold the head of the container stationary while the mandrel is being rotated to unthread the neck of the container from the mandrel.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for rearwardly retracting the conditioning tube comprises, a fixed'fluid chamber surrounding a portion of said tube, an annular flange carried by said tube and disposed within said chamber, and fluid connections leading to said chamber at both sides of said flange whereby 11' the application of fluid under pressure to one side of said flange will move said tube longitudinally.

8. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for first moving said combined punch and core includes, a cross-head secured to one end of the punch and core at its intermediate portion and having its outer portions slidably mounted on at least a pair of guide rods axially aligned with said punch and core, a cross-arm supporting said die head disposed adjacent the opposite end of said punch and core, a plurality of shafts parallel to said punch and core interlocking said cross-arm and cross-head, each of said shafts having one end secured to said cross-head and the other end disposed within a fluid chamber on said cross-arm, and fluid lines connected to each of said fluid chambers whereby the exhausting of fluid from said chambers moves said shafts and their related cross-head forward to eifect the first movement of said punch and core.

9. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for moving the die head and the combined punch and core forward includes, a pair of fixed fluid cylinders,

one mounted at each end of the apparatus adjacent the outer end of said die head and combined punch and core, respectively, each of said cylinders having a reciprocating piston and a pair of fluid connecting lines acting on said pistons, one of said pistons acting against said die head and the other of said pistons acting on one end of said punch and core, whereby, as the plastic material is extruded to form the side wall of the container, fluid is admitted to the pair of pistons to move the punch and core and die head forward at equal rates of speed.

10. An apparatus for producing substantially cylindrical containers, comprising, a sleeve communicating with a source of granular plastic material, a draw plate at the discharge end of the sleeve and having an internal beveled surface, a tubular kneading member rotatable within the sleeve, a beveled face at the forward end of the kneading member of the same pitch as the beveled face of the ring to cooperate therewith and provide a gate for controlling discharge of material from between the kneading member and the sleeve, a tubular piston surrounding said kneading member and disposed within said sleeve, means for moving said piston axially of the sleeve, a tubular container side wall forming member disposed coaxially within the kneading member and axially movable relative thereto, a flat end wall on said side wall forming member and having a valved opening communicating with a pressurized fluid, means for imparting rotary movement to said side wall forming memher, and a die head having an exposed flat face for cooperation with the flat face of the end wall of the tubular side wall forming member, said head movable in a linear direction with respect to the axis of the sleeve.

11. An apparatus for molding containers including an end wall and a tubular side wall, comprising, a' sleeve, a draw plate at one end of the sleeve, a tubular kneading member in the sleeve and providing therewith a heated chamber, means for supplying plastic material to said chamber, cooperating means on the draw plate and tubular kneading member forming a gate, a die having an end wall forming face adjacent said gate and also having a threaded neck forming extension, a tubular piston in said chamber for initially extruding said plastic through said gate against said face and into said extension, and a mandrel terminating at said die face and having a rod entering said extension to form a passageway into the container, and means for rotating said mandrel to produce unthreading movement between the neck portion of the container and the extension.

12. An apparatus for forming tubular containers and the like having an end wall and an integral side wall, comprising, a sleeve, a tubular kneading member of smaller diameter than the sleeve to provide an annular heated chamber, means on the discharge end of the said member and sleeve to form a gate, a die member adjasaid die member and the gate means, a rod disposed for rotary and axial movement in said extension of the die cavity, means for rotating the rod to, turn the container and unscrew the threads on the exterior of the container neck from the threads of the die cavity.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein means is provided for forcing air through the neck forming portion of the die cavity to assist in releasing the completed container from the die.

14. An apparatus for producing substantially cylindrical containers, comprising, a tubular sleeve communicating with a source of granular plastic material, a draw plate ring at the discharge end of the sleeve and having an internal beveled surface, a tubular kneading member rotatable within the sleeve and cooperating therewith to provide an extrusion chamber, a beveled face at the forward end of the kneading member of the same pitch as the beveled face of the ring to provide a gate for controlling discharge of material from between the kneading member and the sleeve, a tubular ejector surrounding said kneading member and disposed within said sleeve, means for moving said ejector axially of the sleeve, to push plastic material through the extrusion chamber and the gate, a container side Wall forming member disposed co axial-1y within the kneading member and axially movable relative thereto, a substantially conical end wall on said container side wall forming member and having an apical socket, means for imparting rotary movement to said side wall forming member, a diehead movable in a linear direction with respect to the axis of the-sleeve, a mandrel mounted in said die head and having a central bore communicating with an enlarged internally threaded container neck extension of the die cavity whose marginal portions are frusto conical to match related surface of the end wall of the side wall forming member, a rod axially movable in the mandrel and passing through the neck extension of the die cavity to engage said socket of the end wall of the side wall forming member, and means for simultaneously moving the die head away from the gate of the draw plate ring and efiecting the depositing of plastic material on the outer face of said side wall forming member.

15. An apparatus for forming a hollow plastic member comprising, a tubular housing having an end wall defining a discharge opening, elongated fonming means in said housing of less sectional periphery than the periphery of the opening in the housing adapted to telescope in said housing and through said discharge opening to form with the end walls a die opening, plastic feed means around said forming means adapted to telescope with respect thereto to advance plastic material through said housing and out said discharge opening as said forming means slide out said discharge opening of the housing progressively to form the walls of said plastic member, and means to telescope said forming means and said feed means with respect to each other and with respect to the housing.

16. An apparatus for forming a hollow plastic member comprising, a tubular housing having an end wall defining a discharge opening, elongated forming means in said housing of less sectional periphery than the periphery of the opening in theho-usin-g adapted to telescope in said housing and through said discharge opening to form with the end walls a die opening, slide feed means around said forming means adapted to telescope with respect thereto to advance plastic material through said housing and out 1 said discharge opening while simultaneously depositing the plastic material on the forming means, elongated plastic working means interposed between said forming means and said feed means and adapted to work plastic material as it is advanced toward said discharge opening by said feed means, drive means to telescope the forming means and the sliding means with respect to each other and the housing, and other drive means to rotate said plastic working means.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said working means is also adapted to telescope against said end walls to close said die opening.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a kneading head is mounted on said working means.

19. In an apparatus for forming a hollow plastic article, a die located adjacent to and operatively related with means for supplying plastic material to said die to form a transverse portion of the article being formed and to also form the skirt forming the side wall thereof, said means comprising a housing having an internal wall forming a cylindrical chamber, a tubular piston movable in said housing, a tubular kneading and mixing member partly within the piston, forming means within said kneading and mixing member, said piston, kneading means and forming means mounted on a common axis and on the axis of the chamber for relative sequential movement toward and from said die.

20. An apparatus for producing a hollow member from plastic-like material, including an extrusion assembly comprising,

an outer housing,

a piston within said housing,

a core coaxial with said piston,

a mixing member interposed between said core and housing, and spaced from said housing to form a chamber between their facing peripheral surfaces and said chamber having an outlet,

means for introducing a slug of plastic material into said chamber,

and portions of said mixing member being in said chamher for subjecting said plastic material to shearing action induced by relative angular movement between said mixing member and the housing,

said piston applying axial force to the slug to distribute plastic material about said core as it advances through said outlet to form the walls of said hollow member.

21. A method of producing a hollow member from plastic like material comprising forming a hollow elongated slug having walls of thermoplastic material of greater thickness than the wall of said member,

applying heat to said slug;

applying supporting force to the inner peripheral wall surface and confining force to the outer peripheral wall surface of the slug;

applying axially directed feed force to one end of the confined slug to advance it bodily along an axially directed feed path while;

applying a circumferentially directed component of force to succeeding increments of said wall progressively along the length thereof starting at the other end whereby to direct the material of said wall of the advancing slug in a helical path;

maintaining the supporting force and increasing the confining force on succeeding increments of said advancing slug starting at said other end thereof to reduce the wall thickness progressively along the length of the slug to the thickness of said member; thereafter as to each succeeding slug removing said confining force while continuing said supporting force;

and severing the wall of said slug in a generally diametric direction adjacent said one end to the length of said member.

22. A method of molding tubular plastic containers which consists in first forming in a mold cavity a container end wall and an externally threaded neck thereon and providing an internal bore form-ing a dispensing passage open at both ends, then progressively axially feeding a homogenized plastic film in a helical flow pattern on a core moving with the mold cavity to provide a side wall integral with said end wall, severing the side wall on the core at a predetermined point to establish its length, and finally stripping said externally threaded neck and side wall of the container from the mold cavity and core to elfect release of the container.

23. A method for fabricating fromheat softenable plastic a hollow, collapsible, relatively thin walled, plastic container having an end wall portion formed integral and continuous with a side wall portion, the steps comprising:

molding said end wall portion in a mold cavity formed between an end wall forming die and a mandrel end by feeding heat softened plastic into said cavity through a feed opening;

progressively moving said end wall portion together with said mandrel end away from the feed opening while supporting the end wall portion;

simultaneously with such progressive movement forming said side wall portion by forcibly feeding heat softened plastic through and out of a Side wall forming die to deposit the heat softened plastic on said mandrel in the shape of said side wall portion while maintaining unconfined the outer surface of said side wall portion along its length fromsaid side wall forming die to said end wall portion;

cooling and setting said plastic on said mandrel;

and removing said container from the mandrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,026,598 Nelf May 14, 1912 2,141,916 Johnson Dec. 27, 1938 2,288,454 HObson June 30, 1942 2,289,787 Kaschke et a1. July 14, 1942 2,433,063 Par-melee June 8, 1948 2,454,561 Lester Nov. 23, 1948 2,558,027 Wilson June 26, 1951 2,810,159 Teichmann Oct. 22, 1957 2,936,489 Sherman May 17, 1960 3,002,615 Lemilson Oct. 3, 1961 3,029,468 Valeji Apr. 17, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,003,948 Germany Mar. 7, 1957 

23. A METHOD FOR FABRICATING FROM HEAT SOFTENABLE PLASTIC A HOLLOW, COLLAPSIBLE, RELATIVELY THIN WALLED, PLASTIC CONTAINER HAVING AN END WALL PORTION FORMED INTEGRAL AND CONTINUOUS WITH A SIDE WALL PORTION, THE STEPS COMPRISING: MOLDING SAID END WALL PORTION IN A MOLD CAVITY FORMED BETWEEN AN END WALL FORMING DIE AND A MANDREL END BY FEEDING HEAT SOFTENED PLASTIC INTO SAID CAVITY THROUGH A FEED OPENING; PROGRESSIVELY MOVING SAID END WALL PORTION TOGETHER WITH SAID MANDREL END AWAY FROM THE FEED OPENING WHILE SUPPORTING THE END WALL PORTION; SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH SUCH PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT FORMING SAID SIDE WALL PORTION BY FORCIBLY FEEDING HEAT SOFTENED PLASTIC THROUGH AND OUT OF A SIDE WALL FORMING DIE TO DEPOSIT THE HEAT SOFTENED PLASTIC ON SAID MANDREL IN THE SHAPE OF SAID SIDE WALL PORTION WHILE MAINTAINING UNCONFINED THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SIDE WALL PORTION ALONG ITS LENGTH FROM SAID SIDE WALL FORMING DIE TO SAID END WALL PORTION; COOLING AND SETTING SAID PLASTIC ON SAID MANDREL; AND REMOVING SAID CONTAINER FROM THE MANDREL. 